Jim – Yes, it does remind me of our over-budget pedestrian flyover but, as you say, Dublin’s version is nicer. We did see the Ha’penny Bridge, but I didn’t get any photos. Perhaps it warrants another trip.

Great photos! Better than mine taken on a grey day. The designer was Calatrava, who has similar but differently inspired ones in Athens and Buenos Aires. I “collect” Calatrava bridges because of the nay-sayers in Calgary who decried the money spent on our own Calatrava, the Peace Bridge. My appreciation soars over time because he embarked on a new design theme for Calgary.

Isabel – it is certainly a work of art. Like most works of art I expect it cost at least a factor of 10 more than it would have cost to construct a more standard bridge. Judith proves me correct.
J.L. Whitman, P.Eng.

John – I hear you, and when spending public funds I suppose there’s some limit on the premium that’s reasonable to achieve art on top of the required functionality. Maybe we could crowd-source the variance, improving a city’s landscape, while controlling public spending.